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Tennessee Ernie Visits
Previous episode: The Black Wig Next episode: Tennessee Ernie Hangs On http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s29/ABMfisher/ScrabbleLuckel.jpg http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s29/ABMfisher/CousinErnie.jpg http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s29/ABMfisher/GettingVamped.jpg Plot The Ricardos are forced to have a very, very distant relative/connection of Lucy's mother, Cousin Ernie, stay with them for a while. Cousin Ernie Ford hails from Bent Fork, Tennessee, and while he's a sweetheart, he has many annoying habits that make the Ricardos (particularly Ricky) want him gone. Lucy even tries dressing like a "wicked city woman" (which Ernie was warned about by his mother) to scare off Ernie by "vamping" him, but Ernie ends up liking getting vamped, which hilariously results in an aroused Ernie chasing Lucy around the apartment, until she escapes to the Mertezes apartment, where she collaborates with Fred and Ethel to try to cook up another plot to get him to want to leave! The Ricardos don't know what else to do to get rid of Ernie! Trivia *Ernie Ford was the first famous guest star on the show. The reaction to his appearance was so favorable that the writers made sure to have many more guest stars appear, most of whom showed up in season 4 during the Hollywood trip. *The black dress Lucy wears as the "wicked city woman" is quite obviously the evening gown she wore in "The Charm School." *The scene with Lucy and Ricky playing Scrabble right before Ernie arrives is not shown in the syndication version. Ricky spells "local" as "luckel." The Ricardos aren't new to playing Scrabble, though. Ethel thought the card table was out in episode #82 because the Ricardos were playing Scrabble, not knowing that the Ricardos were using the table to have their at-home anniversary dinner. *This is the first mention of Mrs. McGillicuddy, Lucy's screwball mother. In her letter, Mrs. McGillicuddy calls Ricky by "Xavier." This is in regards to Xavier Cugat who is also a spanish-american bandleader. Later, as we all know, she will call her son-in-law "Mickey." *Ernie is Lucy's mother's friend's roommate's cousin's middle boy. Specifically, Mrs. McGillicuddy's friend is Flo Pauline Lopus. Ella Scott Porter was Flo Pauline's old college roommate. Ella's cousin (Ernie's mother) married a Ford and had three boys. Ernest/Ernie was the middle boy, his older brother was George, and his younger brother was Roger. *In the original script, Lucy's letter from her mother arrived late because Mrs. McGillicuddy forgot to put stamps on it and had to re-send it. *Ernie sold his guitar for $27, in order to have enough to pay the bus fare from Bent Fork to NYC. He was left with only 42 cents after paying for the bus ticket. *Ernie's mother is illiterate. *Ricky's grandfather gave him the maracas Ernie ruined. Quotes *Lucy: Don't you wanna know what letter's about? It looks important. Fred: You've got the wrong Mertz. You're thinking of the Buttinski branch of the family. *Lucy: (reading letter from her mother) "Dear Lucy, how are you, and how is Xavier?" Ricky: "Xavier"?! Lucy: Well, she knows I'm married to a Latin American bandleader. She just doesn't know which one. Ricky: Well, that's true. She's getting warmer all the time. *Lucy: (reading more of her mother's letter) "Well, to make a long story short..." Ricky: It's too late! *Lucy: (sees Ricky's Scrabble word) "L-U-C-K-E-L." Ricky: "Luckel." Lucy: "Luckel"? That's not a word! Ricky: It is, too! Lucy: Well, I've never heard it. Use it in a sentence. Ricky: Well, like, when you take a ride on a 5th Avenue bus. You can either take the 'spress or the luckel. Lucy: That is "local'! *Ernie: Down in Tennessee, everybody calls everybody else "cousin." 'Course, down in Tennessee, everybody IS everybody else's cousin! *Lucy: You walked all the way from Long Island?! Ernie: Yup. Ding-donged if it a'int. Lucy: What? Ernie: A long island! *Lucy: Fred, do you still have that rollaway bed? Fred: Sure. Ernie: Now, wait a minute- I don't wanna lay down on anything that's gonna be gallavantin' around the room all night! *Ernie: (referring to bathroom) You mean it's in the house?! *Ethel: I just love the way Ernie talks! Lucy: Yeah, he is cute. *Lucy: What about my mother? Ricky: Never ask me a question like that when I'm in this condition! *Ernie: (to Vamp Lucy) You got quite a hitch in your get-along! *Ernie: Are you a-vampin' me? Vamp Lucy: Uh-huh. Ernie: You know what? Vamp Lucy: What? Ernie: I like it! *Ernie: City woman, where you at, you little heffer?